CLEVELAND, Ohio – Jonathan Mann considered himself pro-death penalty until his father was murdered. Until two years ago, the 37-year-old computer programmer rarely thought about capital punishment. Whenever he did, it was always in the abstract, and he was fine with bad guys being executed. Read the full story here.
Ohio House passes bill banning executions of people with ‘serious mental illness’ during crime
COLUMBUS, Ohio –Defendants could escape the death penalty if they suffer from schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder and delusional disorder during the time of the crime, under a bill passed Wednesday in the Ohio House. Representatives passed House Bill 136 76 to 17. Read the full story here.
Beacon Journal/Ohio.com editorial board: Don’t execute those with serious mental illness
One abiding principle of the justice system goes: The punishment should fit the crime and the defendant. That helps explain the thinking behind reserving the death penalty for the worst of the worst. It also puts in context legislation at the Statehouse that would prohibit the execution of those who are convicted of murder and […]